Zone Report

Zone Report February 2009 The Zone is a physical and virtual space for all youth and young adults (14-21) to gain the knowledge and skills to do a successful job search and select a career path. Report Purpose The purpose of this report is to provide administration an understanding of what has been accomplished since the inception of the Zone. Future Zone programming directions and associated resource needs are included. The South Minneapolis WorkForce Center Zone officially opened on October 9, 2007 when the physical space was ready. The Zone had actually been operating since the end of July 28th, 2007 with the employment of the part time student worker (funded by Rehabilitation Services and Pathways to Employment). It was clear to all those involved in the creation of the Zone that committed staff to work youth and young adults is critical to the success of youth and young adult moving into the worker role. Accomplishments From July 28th 2007 to February, 2009 the following has been accomplished: Physical and Virtual Space Physical Space The Zone physical space was created in a three month period. It has four (4) computers, one of which is accessible, comfortable chairs, a writing table and a meeting table, a shelf for books and an announcements bulletin board. The Zone also has a beautiful mural, depicting urban life at Lake and Chicago, which was painted by 2 high school seniors. We purchased several booklets from the Lifeskills series which focus on transition issues for youth and young adults as well as some books written for youth on resumes, job search, interviewing, etc. The Zone virtual space uses several websites with youth, including the Zone and C3 websites and MinnesotaWorks.net. The new Youth Tab was put on our computer home organizer page in early January. 2,450 Zone brochures have been printed since October 07, 2007 of these have distributed at the Zone areas of the Bloomington, St. Cloud and South Minneapolis WorkForce Centers, Job Fairs, Zone Tour groups, high school presentations, CTIC meetings, WIB meetings, community agencies, Disability Mentoring Day and consumer advocacy group meetings. A smaller number of Spanish Zone brochures have also been distributed. Some modifications to the physical space have occurred along with the first floor remodeling in the center. We now have a bit more space. Virtual Space Spring 09 we will be creating a link to the Zone website for South Minneapolis Zone Staff In February: • Stefanie McLaughlin, Student Worker, worked with nine youth and young adults individually on resumes, website navigation, job search follow up techniques, assisted one young adult with her college application and essay, presented about the Zone and WFC to juniors and seniors at the Phoenix, a new alternative high school, participated in Resource area meetings, participated in a Teen Job Fair planning meeting, Carol Sevin, AmeriCorps member, provided Transition Plus students with some ideas for field trips for touring businesses and other community resources, the Stretch students (at MCTC), came and registered as WFC members, participated in the Teen Job Fair planning meeting and completed PASSPORT, recruited two workshop presenters, participated in planning for the Job Shadowing Day event and the Career Development in the 21st Century day event, presented the Zone and WFC at MCTC and with RS Transition Counselor at South High School, she attended strategic planning meetings for the youth and technologies strategies, Ellie Emanuel, (Disability Program Navigator), participated in a Teen Job Fair meeting, talked with Karen Quammen about the next possible steps with the Transition Plus group and Disability Mentoring Day, met with Karen Quammen, Nick Wilke and the Transition Plus students and teachers to plan Disability Mentoring Day, informal meetings with Zone staff throughout the month, hosted a Zone booth at the YouthLink Job Fair, participated in Resource Area meetings, participated in WFC Strategic Planning, Strategy #8-Youth meeting, met with Zone staff to discuss Job Shadowing Day event and student orientation schedule, presented to METP Vendor staff about the Zone, agreed to coordinate/provide Zone training for new Student Worker at the North Mpls WFC (devised and forwarded Orientation outline to RAM) • • Services to Youth Success Stories: My success story this month is about a young woman named Tonya. She has a traumatic brain injury and a history of substance abuse. Tonya has recently completed a treatment program for her drug abuse and has moved into supportive housing. She has some employment background in Human Services and would like to reenter the field. She had briefly worked with Vocational Rehabilitation Services in the past and plans to connect with them again. Tonya is now working on creating a career plan and will be signing up for Employment Ready U. Zone Process Zone staff helps individuals with disabilities to use all WorkForce Center services and programs that will assist them to attain employment. Youth and young adults often underestimate what they have to offer to a business. Those youth and young adults with a disability have an added barrier and Zone staff work to help them to address this as part of the job search process. Seven hundred forty-four (744) youth and young adults from diverse cultural backgrounds have been served in the Zone; four hundred forty (440) males and three hundred seven (307) females. One hundred thirty (157) have returned more than once since 7/28/07. February: numbers are twenty-four (24) males, twenty-one (21) females, with twenty seven(27) repeat visits. To date youth and young adults have gotten part and full time jobs at: Abercrombie & Fitch, K-Mart, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Jan-CO, People’s Center, Family Dollar, Byerly’s, UMN, Adoke, Midwest Publishing and Soar in Sales, Telemarketing, Stock/Cashier, Counter Server, Cashier, Bagger, Bookstore Clerk, Snow Removal, Inside Sales, Janitorial, Post secondary training to date: Herzing College for Dental Hygiene-1 application, Aveda Institute- 1 accepted, Dunwoody-2 applied, MCTC- 4 applied, 3 accepted, Metro State-1 applied, U of Texas- 1 applied. This count represents the number of youth asked to sign-in when a Zone staff member is present. Many youth and young adults use the Zone when staff is not available and thus these estimates are probably low regarding Zone usage. Some choose to list themselves on CRS as youth with disabilities, others do not. An estimated twenty percent (20%) of these young males come to the Zone from referrals from their probation officers. In February: • • The youngest Zone participant was 16 and the oldest, 21. The preponderance being age 19-20. Three (3) Zone participants listed “Job Search” as the “Requested Service”, 6 resume, 5 WFC registration, 1 college application,1 online high school and 29 did not specify. Youth and young adults heard about us from: Police Officer(1); Not Specified (20); RRC(1); Job Fair (1); Friend (1);Transition Plus (21); Transition Plus was the largest referral source this month. • Zone Tours • Twenty-four (24) Zone and WorkForce Center Tours to groups; schools and community groups, mostly Transition Plus, Alternative schools and neighborhood associations, Community Transition Interagency Committee. Eleven (11) Zone and WorkForce Center Tours to individuals who represent, business, charter and alternative schools, juvenile justice and the Transition Plus Program, Richfield High School Special Education Teachers, State Council on Rehabilitation, Project 2010 staff and a men’s transitional housing facility. In February: No tours Community Outreach • Seven (7)presentations with Vocational Rehabilitation Transition Counselors to school staff and students at Richfield, Lincoln Richfield Alternative, Roosevelt and Lincoln International High School, Learning for Leadership Charter, the Multicultural Indigenous Academy and the Nawayee School. In February: Ellie presented about the Zone to the METP Youth Vendors, Stefanie presented at the Phoenix High School, Carol presented at MCTC and South High School Eleven (12) booths at the YouthLink Job Fair, Arts in the Park Art Fair, Disability Mentoring Day, the Hopkins Job Fair, the Teen Job Fair, MSSA conference and Pease Academy Job Fair, Annual Summer Youth Employment Event ; Youth Panel at Powderhorn Park Summer Recreational Program; Disability Mentoring Day, In February: Ellie hosted a Zone booth at the YouthLink Job Fair. Eighteen (21) individual meetings/presentations with juvenile correction outreach personnel and rehabilitation counselors, transition staff, county personnel, the Community Transition Interagency Committee members, foster care staff, Minneapolis Mayor’s staff, Achieve!Minneapolis staff, local business staff, Burnsville WIB, local WIB/Youth Council, presentation to Hennepin County VSP meeting, Youth Council, Mental Health Association of Mpls, Hennepin County Mental Health Services staff arranged appointments for two youth after learning of our program at the MSSA conference • • • Zone Community Projects and Relationships The Zone has established six important projects/activities that began in November, December (07), January and February(08). Short term use by Summer Program occurred this August (08). The C3 Resource Mapping Project completed in August 08. Job Shadowing Day (07) • The South Minneapolis Rotary Club, Transition Plus and the Zone are working together to create a Job Shadowing Day (March 2008) with a local business that • • • • • • has wide diversity of jobs. Approximately 30 students with special needs ages 16-21 from Roosevelt, South, Washburn and Southwest high schools will be invited to attend. In March, Zone staff conducted the second three orientation sessions with the students at each of the schools to prepare them for the experience and facilitated the Job Shadowing Day Event which was very successful. 19 students attended and their evaluations of the event were very positive. One student returned to the VA Medical Center (Job Shadow site) and applied for a job. This event is part of a grant given to the Zone by the South Minneapolis Rotary Club. Also included in this grant is $3000 for bus passes for youth to attend interviews. Trish (Mpls. Transition Plus) and I met with the Best Buy representative and discuss the Job Shadowing event . I talk with Gene House at the VA and he will be checking with his staff about a Spring 09 Job Shadowing Day event. In September, Best Buy cancelled their participation as the Fall job shadow site a week before Zone staff were scheduled to do the job shadow orientation in the schools. They did come in a do a one hour presentation with Transition Plus students. Ellie began contacting Target as a possible alternate site for later in the fall. The VA Medical Center gave the go ahead for the Spring Job Shadowing Day Event. It will occur in April. Transition Plus/Special Education Student Weekly Events (08) • Zone staff has established a weekly Job Search/Career Exploration event in the Zone for special education students from Transition Plus. Students from two classes come to the center with their teacher and work in the Zone on their job search and career exploration. Irene Johnson and Scott Beaumont continue to regularly bring students to work in the Zone. In September, two Transition Plus Career Development classes began to regularly work in the Zone (Mondays and Wednesdays). Tuesday and Thursday was scheduled for a second class of Transition Plus students and Fridays for Special Education students from Richfield High School (This will begin in October.) In February: Transition Plus students and teachers, Nick Wilke, MCIL, Karen Quammen and the Zone staff planned the March 13th Disability Mentoring Day/Career Development in the 21st Century. They visited the McNamera Center at UMN/Twin Cities to get the lay of the land. • • Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (08) • • Zone staff hosted and participated in the third Employment and Training Committee meeting of the Youth Violence Prevention Initiative. Ellie participated in the April all committee meeting. June- Ellie wrote a letter of support for a mentoring grant proposal submitted by the Initiative staff • • Stefanie met the Director of a men’s transitional housing facility, referred by the Mayor’s office representative Currently we are not directly involved in this initiative Zone Advisory Committee • Members of the Zone Advisory Committee (West St. Paul, Shakopee, Burnsville, St. Cloud, Bloomington and South Minneapolis WorkForce Centers) agreed participate in the April visit by Iowa WIA staff. Iowa WIA is visiting to learn about the Zone in their process of developing more services for Youth in their one-stop centers. Ellie facilitated the Iowa Zone visit. It went very well. June-February: no activities Future Program Directions and Resource Needs In a short period of time through our work with youth and young adults and our numerous conversations with teachers, families and community based youth organizations, we have been confirmed in our understanding that there is a serious need in the South Minneapolis Community and throughout Minnesota to provide free, quality employment and career services to all youth with consistent staff in a safe, youth friendly setting as they transition from high school and post secondary training. To date, part time staff has worked diligently with great skill and enthusiasm with all the youth and young adults who have come to the Zone. As the numbers of youth and young adults increase the need for full time staff to work with them becomes apparent. While many youth do possess some degree of computer literacy, their basic language abilities, self-expressiveness, self-knowledge and information about jobs, how to get a job or choosing a career path is severely limited. We have found that this is the situation with all the youth and young adults who have worked in the Zone. Simply, they are not prepared to enter the job market or begin to commit to a career path. Many new American youth do not have the rudimentary survival skills needed to support employment, i.e., how to use their medical card, construct and use a budget, checking or saving account, ride and chart a route to a job, dress for an interview, talk about themselves positively. This lack of skills is shared by all youth, those with and without disabilities and those who are newly out of penal institutions. Professionals, school personnel, community based organizations, and juvenile justice personnel who serve youth have repeatedly pointed out that there are not enough programs which provide quality job and career services over time with a consistent staff. Most significantly, all have emphasized that it is the consistent contact with a caring adult which is the most critical element in helping guide youth towards developing effective job seeking skills and choosing a career path. • • In response to these needs, the Zone plans to hire a full time redundant staff member and continue with a part time 20 hour part staff person (Rehabilitation/Pathways to Employment Student Worker Program) and an Americorps Member (Fall 08). This increase in staff will allow the Zone to operate full time, to outreach into the high schools and community based youth serving organizations and to work with high school staff, drop-out prevention programs and foster care services to design complimentary job seeking and career exploration activities and workshops to serve the youth in our community. The Zone staff in the coming months will focus on: Employment of a full time Zone staff Marketing and community outreach Job Shadowing Day Contribute articles to the Career Connections Newsletter periodically Establishing on-going partnerships with Alternative, Transition Plus and Charter Schools, Foster care, Juvenile Justice and other youth focused community based programs Broadening the Zone Website to include the happenings in all WFC Zones